Senior Director of Distrubution Centre Operations Europe

Location: This is a hybrid role, offering a combination of being able to work remotely and from our European Distribution Centres and offices – there will be some travel involved across our European business.

 

 

The Opportunity

 

This role sits within the RS Supply Chain organisation, a core enabler of our customer promise and business growth. The Supply Chain team ensures products are available where and when our customers need them — safely, efficiently, and sustainably. It’s a great place to work for those who thrive on collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

 

Our teams are passionate about delivering operational excellence, leveraging digital technologies, and driving initiatives such as automation, Lean improvements, and sustainability projects that make a real difference to customers and other internal stakeholders.

 

What You Will Be Doing

 

To provide strategic and operational leadership for RS’s EMEA Distribution Centres (Germany, France), ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective delivery of service excellence across the regional network. The Senior Director of Operations Europe is accountable for a c.£50m operational budget and c.£6m in capex, leading a diverse, multi-country team to deliver sustainable performance, capacity creation, and long-term business growth. The role fosters a high-performance culture grounded in safety, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement, while ensuring alignment with regional business priorities, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations across mainland Europe.

 

Key responsibilities include:

 

• Full accountability for operational performance, service delivery, and cost management across mainland Europe Distribution Centres.
• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing, diverse, multi-country teams, fostering a culture of safety, engagement, and accountability.
• Own the mainland Europe Distribution Centres strategy — designing and executing operational plans that enable capacity, capability, and scalability to support regional growth.
• Drive Continuous Improvement and Lean methodologies to reduce Cost to Serve, enhance productivity, and share best practices across the global DC network.
• Ensure robust operational governance across safety, regulatory compliance, quality, and environmental performance in multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead major transformation initiatives, including automation, digital systems integration, and network optimisation across the mainland Europe logistics footprint.
• Build and maintain constructive relationships with Works Councils and employee representative bodies across mainland Europe, promoting open dialogue, transparency, and collaborative engagement.
• Partner closely with EMEA Senior Leadership and functional leaders to align Operations with commercial, financial, and ESG priorities.
• Represent mainland Europe Operations at executive and global forums, influencing strategic decision-making and group-wide initiatives.
• Champion Diversity & Inclusion, employee wellbeing, and community engagement as integral parts of operational success across the region.
• Build strong partnerships with key stakeholders including: EMEA Supply Chain Operations, Finance, People, Transport and Inventory Management, ESG and HSE functions, Regional Sales, Product Management, and P&SM.

 

How I make a difference in this role

 

• Deliver measurable improvements in service, efficiency, and cost performance while ensuring high safety and compliance standards.
• Lead a culture of empowerment and accountability, driving engagement and talent development across both sites.
• Create long-term operational capacity and capability to support business growth and customer satisfaction.
• Act as a visible, values-driven leader, promoting integrity, inclusion, and collaboration across teams and regions.
• Shape and influence strategic direction of operations at both UK and group level, ensuring alignment with RS’s purpose and growth ambitions.

 

 

 

Essential Skills